Web Series Festivals

First Published October 2010.
Updated August 2015.

I found myself looking for a comprehensive list of festivals and conferences that discuss and screen — or are open to screening or discussing — web video and web series. Indie Intertube has a great list here with some of the links below (plus a whole lot of other useful stuff). I’ll be traveling around next year and the year after, so I wanted to create a guide for myself; why not share?

Below, the list. Please email me if there’s any I missed or if you notice any inaccuracies below, and I’ll update as needed. I know some creators have screened at some interesting, off-the-beaten-path places, so let me know!

WHAT: ATX Television FestivalWHEN: JuneWHERE: AustinSITE: http://www.atxfestival.comABOUT: Panels and screenings are mostly of on-air television, but have included web series and transmedia projects like Husbands, Channel 101and post-Kickstarter Veronica Mars.

WHAT:Consumer Electronics Association WHEN: January
WHERE: Las VegasSITE: http://www.cesweb.orgABOUT: Techy conference mostly known for gadgets and bringing in Silicon heavyweights. In 2012, the conference hosted the first IAWTV Awards. The conference has been working with content, last year adding the program, “‘Creativity, Content and Cash,’ the all-new conference program that successfully launched at the 2010 CES, offered up practical ideas and serious strategies to consider when it comes to producing, promoting and profiting from media content.”

WHAT: Digital HollywoodWHEN: November (NY), May (LA) WHERE: New York and Los AngelesSITE:http://www.digitalhollywood.comABOUT: Industry conference encompassing television, film and other media industries with panels often involving web video.

WHAT: FirstGlance Film FestivalWHEN: April (LA), October (Philadelphia)DEADLINES: Summer (LA); March-June (Philadelphia)WHERE: Los Angeles, PhiladelphiaSITE: http://www.firstglancefilms.comABOUT: Bi-coastal film festival screening and awarding projects of various lengths and formats, including web series pilots (sponsored by Koldcast in 2011).

WHAT: Internet WeekWHEN: June WHERE: New YorkSITE: http://www.internetweekny.comABOUT: Big conference/festival focusing on New York’s web industry in all its forms. There are speeches, parties, workshops and how-to sessions which may be of interest to web series/video creators.

WHAT: ITVFest (International Television Festival) WHEN: July/AugustDEADLINES: April/May WHERE: Los AngelesSITE: http://itvfest.orgABOUT: Similar to NYTVF, focus is on independent web series and connecting creators to television and the industry.

WHAT: Marseille Web FestWHEN: OctoberDEADLINES: N/AWHERE: Marseilles, FranceSITE:http://www.marseillewebfest.comABOUT: Web series festival in Marseilles screening a small selection of web series from around the world; has partnered with LA Webfest.

WHAT: Queer Black Cinema International Film Festival (QBC Fest)
WHEN: October
DEADLINES: July
WHERE: New York
SITE: http://www.queerblackcinema.org
ABOUT: Focuses on independent films by and about queer, LGBT people of color and has screened web series in the past.

WHAT: Series Fest WHEN: JuneDEADLINES: April-May
WHERE: Denver, COSITE: http://seriesfest.comABOUT: Festival committed to “showcasing the best new pilots from established and emerging content creators.”

WHAT:SXSW WHEN: March
DEADLINES: June/July (Panels) WHERE: AustinSITE: http://sxsw.com/interactiveABOUT: Megafestival featuring music, film and panels on media. While I’m not aware of any web series showing in the film portion, a number of marketers, content creators and thought leaders present in panel sessions.

WHAT: Vancouver Web FestWHEN: MayDEADLINES: Oct-DecWHERE: Vancouver, CanadaSITE:http://www.vancouverwebfest.comABOUT: Web series festival in Vancouver screening a small selection of web series from around the world.

WHAT: VidconWHEN: July WHERE: Los AngelesSITE:http://www.vidcon.comABOUT: Conference with lots of YouTube heavyweights and web video companies talking about the medium.